Folding crib and cradle



(N Mod 1. 1

- 8 D. D. WILBUR & M. 0. HUNG'ERPORD.

FOLDING CRIB AND CRADLE.

No. 250,614. Patented Dec. 6,1881.

N. PETERS, Photo-Lithograph". Walhinglon. D. c.

ington, in the county of Oabell and State of UNITED TATES amen.

1% KATENT DWIGHT D. \VILBUR- AND MORRIS O. HUNGERFORD, OF HUNTINGTON, VEST VIRGINIA.

FOLDING CRIB AND CRADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,614, dated December 6, 1881,

Application filed November 5, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DWIGHT D. WILBUR and Mon-Bis O. HUNGERFORD, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Hunt- West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cribs, Gradles, Bedstea-ds, &c.; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exaetdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to cribs, cradles, bedsteads, and other articles of furniture which are so constructed as to be folded in a compact form for shipment or storage; and it consists in certain devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a central' longitudinal section of a combined crib and cradle embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the same partly folded. Fig. 3 represents the same completely folded; Fig. 4, a detail of the pivot and pivot-locking plate, and Fig. 5 is a detached view of the locking device.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The cradle herein shown is of that class known as swinging, and is provided with a novel locking device which transforms it into a crib or non-swinging bed.

A are the legs, which are pivotally attached to the standards b at c, of a novel frame, and are retained in proper position for the performance of their function by studs or pins to, which enter the said standards when in said position, and also by book b and eye or pin If.

The frame consists of a standard, I), at each end of a connecting rod, brace, or bar, I), which is attached to the legs A by the pivot O in the upper section of said standard, which is at its upper end provided with the crib-supporting pivot (3. These standards are hinged or jointed at b so that their upper sections may fold inwardly. Upon the lowersurface of connectingbar 11 is a hook, N, which, in connection with the pin or eye I) in the legs A, serves to rigidly fasten the legs, standards, and end board,

B, of the crib in an upright, open, or unfolded condition for use and operation. The head section or end board is hinged to the main or base frame of the crib proper, as shown at I), so as to fold inwardly with but upon a line above the fold-line of the upper section of the standard I), and said main frame is at the sides of the crib located below the fold-line of the end board, and is provided with inwardly-folding side guards, I), the end posts of which are rabbeted or recessed to fit corresponding mortises in the end board, and to close the space 6 between the lower end of the corner-posts of the crib and the top surface of the main frame,

so that when in position for use or unfolded there is a uniform and finished outer surface at the corners of the crib, though plain unrnor- 7o tised joints may be there made.

The main frame, the mattress therein, and the side guards and the connecting-bar are all centrally and transversely divided, and the formeris hinged at said division-line, so as to be ca- 7 pable of folding inwardly; but we do not wish in all instances to use this feature, and do not therefore limit our invention to a crib having it, but may continue the main frame, bottom, side guards, and mattress in unbroken 8o integrity individually, and adapt such wholelength side guards to be folded inwardly only, in which case the connecting-bar also would be rigid throughout its entire length, and not hinged in its center.

Suitable hooks are applied at the joints of separable parts, as usual infolding articles.

It will readily be seen that in folding the end board and its attached upper section of the standard inwardly, the side guards havo ing been folded down upon the mattress, the connecting-bar is raised against the bottom of the crib, or the crib lowered to the bar, and the corner posts are laid upon the top surface of the main frame, the stud or pin ais 5 withdrawn from its socket in the lower section of the standard I), and this permits the leg A to be turned on its pivot 0 until it rests within limit of the frame and over the end board thereof. This folds one end of the crib. (See Fig. 2.) The same movements and devices fold the other end, and it is in this shape that we may prefer to leave the crib; hence the omission of the means whereby it may still further be folded centrally and transversely; but, ifdesired, it may by the means'as described be further folded, as shown in Fig. 3.

In or on the inner surface of the lower section of one of the standards I) we show anovel locking device, 0, Fig. 5, which consists of an -shaped bar or wire, provided with a thumb piece, and which, as a whole, very much resembles an ordinary key. In the end of the main frame is a slot, 70, so situated that when the cradle rests suspended in a level condition transversely said key may be turned so that its barb or extension shall enter said slot and prevent the crib from swinging as a cradle.

Instead of a pivot, c, a hinge may be used, if desired, to connect the legs to the standards, whereby they may be folded over the standard instead of swung around on the pivot, as in this case.

The sectional standards of the frame B may be slotted and provided with a set-screw, or otherwise adapted to be raised to the bottom of the crib; but we prefer the hinged connection herein shown and described.

The main or crilysupporting pivot may be a plain pin or bolt, as shown in Fig. 1; but we prefer the construction shown in Fig. 4, which consists of the splined or keyed or studded (0 pin 0, havinga head, 0 provided with the blind point 0 and screw-hole c and the tube 0 provided with a similar head and bayonet-slotted at 0 as clearly shown. The tube is secured to the head-board or standard, as desired, and the pin 0 is entered therein and turned, the stud entering the transverse part of the bayonet-slot, when the screw at 0 is driven home, thus locking the pivot laterally, but allowing it to oscillate within the tube.

The crib-supporting pivot 0 may consist of a base-plate, 0 having a projecting stud thereon, which stud is provided with a rib or spline, 0", at its outer periphery, and this base plate is secured by screws 0 and blind studs 0 to the end board of the crib, and the stud 0 passes through the standard I), and a plate without the tube 0 similar to head 0 may be secured thereon by screws and blind studs. The central aperture of said plate may be of key-hole shape, whereby the crib-stud 0 may be passed therethrough by being presented in a position other than any it may reach in the swinging movement of the crib, and its spline or rib will secure said stud from being directly withdrawn from said plate and standard. We would observe that this pivot is applicable not only to cribs, but to many other articles of furniture where a part swings or is pivotally attached to an adjacent part 5 and we would also state that any and all of the devices claimed herein are applicable not only to cribs or cradles, but to bedsteads and similar larger furniture, and their adaptation by change in size to such we deem within our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding crib, cradle, or bedstead, the combination of a main frame, side guards and end boards adapted to be folded, with a connecting bar and hinged standards, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a folding crib, cradle, or bedstead, the combination of a main frame provided with piv oted or hinged en d board s, and a connecting-ha r provided with hinged sectionalstandards, substantially as and for-the purpose set forth.

3. In a folding crib, cradle or bedstead, a connecting-bar provided with hinged sectional standards, whereby the said bar may be raised against the bottom of the crib, or the crib lowered onto said bar, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a crib, cradle, or bedstead, the combination of a sectional standard, legs attached above the division-line of said sections and provided with a pin or stud, and means in the lower section of said standard for the reception and retention of said pin, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a cradle, crib, or bedstead, a pivotbearing provided with screwholes and blind studs, and a spline or rib, in combination with a plate having a bayonet-slot, or its described equivalent, and so disposed relatively to the said splined pivot as to lock it from direct withdrawal when in working position, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DWIGHT D. WILBUR. M. C. HUNGERFORD. Witnesses:

R. E. HAGAN, J. B. HAGAN. 

